Missionary Recommend: deferred exams in Physician's Health Evaluation
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:46 pm
I offer the following conversation I had with the missionary department as help to all other clerks who have to deal with this.
I have noticed that it is very common for the physician's health evaluation to be sent in with some of the examinations not having been done. Understandably, these tend to be the uncomfortable ones:
9.1 - Genitalia, varicocele, hernia, and rectal area
14 - (Women only) breasts
15 - (Women only) pelvic area (include Pap test if over 40 or indicated by history)
The issue comes when you try to finish the form. The system requires an entry of normal or abnormal for every question and I did not want to be the one assuming answers for a test the clinician never performed.
I decided to call the missionary department to see how to handle this. I was told that doctors are allowed to defer these examinations if they feel they are not clinically indicated and, if the doctor did not fill in the form, to mark it as normal AND enter a comment that the test had been deferred.
It would be nice to have this documented somewhere and I realize this post does not reflect an official position. However, if nothing else, it would be nice to hear how others have handled these deferred exams and, if you've called the missionary department, what you've been told.
I have noticed that it is very common for the physician's health evaluation to be sent in with some of the examinations not having been done. Understandably, these tend to be the uncomfortable ones:
9.1 - Genitalia, varicocele, hernia, and rectal area
14 - (Women only) breasts
15 - (Women only) pelvic area (include Pap test if over 40 or indicated by history)
The issue comes when you try to finish the form. The system requires an entry of normal or abnormal for every question and I did not want to be the one assuming answers for a test the clinician never performed.
I decided to call the missionary department to see how to handle this. I was told that doctors are allowed to defer these examinations if they feel they are not clinically indicated and, if the doctor did not fill in the form, to mark it as normal AND enter a comment that the test had been deferred.
It would be nice to have this documented somewhere and I realize this post does not reflect an official position. However, if nothing else, it would be nice to hear how others have handled these deferred exams and, if you've called the missionary department, what you've been told.